Spilman, Benjamin F

Spilman, Benjamin F.

a Presbyterian minister, was born in Garrard County, Ky., Aug. 17, 1796. He graduated at Jefferson College, Pa., in 1822, studied theology privately, was licensed by Chillicothe Presbytery in 1823, and ordained and installed by Muhlenburgh Presbytery as pastor of Sharon Church, Ill., in 1824. Here he labored until 1826, when he became an itinerant missionary in Middle and Southern Illinois, and organized the Church at Shawneetown, where he built a neat house of worship in 1842. Having labored for seventeen years as a missionary, the people of Shawneetown prevailed upon him to settle, and he became their pastor in April, 1842. In 1844 he accepted the pastorate of Chester Church, which he retained until 1851, when his old congregation at Shawneetown called him back, and he remained with them till his death, May 3, 1859. Mr. Spilman was a hard working missionary, and for over thirty years he labored faithfully, never idle and seldom sick. See Wilson, Presb. Hist. Almanac, 1860, p.78. (J.L.S.)